Knapsack



UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

OLIVER EVANS IVOODS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNAPSACK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,835, dated May 24, 1864.

y new and useful Improvement in Military Knapsacks; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference bein ghadto the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and representing a perspective view of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents a knapsack of the usual construction; B B, the usual blanket-straps upon the upper part of the knapsack, C C, the ordinary sh oulderstraps; D, the breast-strap; E Ef, the sling-straps, one ot which, E', I term the breast sling-hook strap.77 All of the above parts, with the customary buckles, except as hereinafter specified, are made and atached in the usual manner, and require no special description.

In carrying out my improvements Iconnect the two blanket-straps B l by a horizontal strap and buckle, F, in the manner shown. This strap I term the gun-holder.7

Vhen on the march the soldier slips the barrel of his inusket underneath the gun-holder F, it will not only prevent the gun from slippin g oitheknapsack, but the soldier can carry the knapsack high up on his back, suspended from the barrel ot' lthe musket, in the manner that bundles on sticks are carried. When the soldier wishes to relieve his hands of the weight and care ot' his musket, he slips the barrel of the gun under the gun-holder F, and allows the hammer of the musketlock to rest on the breast-strap. Thus arranged the weight of the knapsaek behind is counter-balanced by the weight of the gun in front, and by this eounterbalancing-both loads are more easily carried, being saddled by the shoulder-straps C O upon the mans shoulders. This arrangement also reduces the pressure of the slingstraps E E', permits the soldier to loosen them, and prevents them from cutting his arms.

K K are what I term brace-straps.77 They are short straps attached, as shown, to the blanket-straps B B. W'hen the soldier rests his musket upon the breast-strap, secured by brace-straps K K and lifting his hands above his head. The brace-strapsKK also will serve, when held by the soldier, to prevent the jolting and pounding of the knapsack when ineving on the double-quick march.

G G are rings attached to the ends of the shoulder-straps O C, and employed in lieu of theordinary pins or buttons. The object of these rings is to permit the attachment ot` the musket to the shoulder-straps, and also to permit the fastening and unfastening of the breast sling-hook strap E at the breast of the soldier, instead of at the bottom of the knapsaelr, which is the usual mode.

The breast sling-hook strap E', it will be observed, is provided with a hook, H, to engage the ring Gr', by which hook the soldier may instantly bind or loosen the knapsack by simply bringing one hand to his breast without the trouble and difficulty of reaching under the knapsack, which the common mode of fastening requires.

I is a device which I' term a gun-link.77 It consists of two hooks, connected by a strap. One of the hooks is a snap-hook;v the other hook is withouta spring. The soldier having fastened the snap-hook to the rings or straps of his musket-say, for instance, the metallic loop on the back of the musket next the guardcan then, by the remaining hook on the gun-link, suspend the musket to either of the rings G G on the shoulder-straps C O. Vhen thus secured, the muzzle of the musket will point to the ground, in the manner technically termed secure arms.77 The musket can be readily shifted from ring Gv to ring G', either at the word of command or the will ot' the soldier. When thus secured, the musket serves to connterbalance the weight of the knapsack, enabling the soldier to carry both with greater ease. The gun-link can in other modes secure the musket to the strapping or person of the soldier, leaving his hands free vi'or any purpose that may contribute to his comfort or convenience.

In the foregoing description I have alluded to the Weight of the musket counterbalancing the Weight or" theknapsack. I will now, hoW- ever, state that even if theknapsack is empty the gun-link Will operate to relieve the hands ot' the soldier of the care of his musket, provided the sling-straps of the knapsack are fastened. In like manner the gun-holder Will operate efliciently for the saine purpose when `the knapsack is empty, provided that on the top of the knapsack vthere be fastened any equipment or device sufficient to give the barrel of the musket the vertical or nearly vertical position necessary to throw the Weight of thc 1n usket forward, and also to enable the hammer of the mnsket-lock to rest on the breast-strap.

l do not claim, broadly, the counterbalancin c; of the accouterinents of soldiers; but,

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The gun-holder F, in combination with the blanket-straps B B and the knapsack A, operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. The brace-straps K K, applied to and operating with the straps B B and the knapsaek, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The construction of the sling-strap E so that it will couple and uncouple at the breast, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

4. The gun link I, constructed and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The employment of the rings G G', in combination with the shoulder-straps, as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

6. rlhe use of the hook H, in connection with the strap E and ring G', as set forth.

7 The method herein described of counterbalancing the knapsack and the musket.

OLIVER EVANS WOODS.

itnesses EDMUND WILeoX, WM. J. DUNKIRK. 

